File: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Credit| John Muchucha/AP

President Salva Kiir has just issued a statement condemning the inhumane killing of the three children at Rock city residential area over the weekend.

In a statement seen by Eye Radio, President Kiir said he is “shocked and saddened” by the murder of the children and is also grabbling with the magnitude of the crime.

“The pain and trauma inflicted on us by the perpetrator of this crime enormous,” said Kiir.

“But we as a country will prevail. We will work tirelessly to make this criminal pay for this heinous crime,” he stressed.

The president directed law enforcement agencies to use every tool in their disposal to quickly apprehend and bring the suspect before the law for trial.

Kiir described the murder of the children as unjustifiable. He further appealed to the public to support the investigations by providing information to the police to helo with the resolution of the crime.

President Kiir concluded by offering his message of solidary with the parents of the deceased and prayed for their strength during this tragedy.

Comforter-in-Chief

Earlier, an activist urged the President to provide moral intervention over what is being described as an eroding moral value in society.

This is because of the nature of the killing of the children who were hacked to death and the persistent raping of women in the capital and across the country.

The children were 9 years old, 7-year-old and 4 years old by the time of death.

Their killing has caused a major public outcry among South Sudanese because of the inhumane nature of the act.

Police say the killer slaughtered the children while watching television, in the absence of their parents.

The incident caught the attention of security chiefs in Juba, including the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Criminal Investigations and the state police commissioner who visited the crime scene on Saturday and Sunday.

A civil society activist says President Salva Kiir should address the nation on this worrisome trends in the communities.

The constitution considers the head of state as a comforter-in-chief during times of hardship and loss.

The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment called on President to console the nation over the heinous act.

Edmund Yakani says Kiir should discourage the society from normalizing such behaviour.

“His excellency should warn the nation that such attitudes cannot be tolerated by the nation,” he said.

Mr. Yakani believes the disturbing trend of violence being meted on vulnerable people is an indication of a deep-rooted medical condition that is growing in society.

“This is a clear indication that the level of trauma that we have among ourselves is getting high to the level that we are now acting like animals,” he suggested.

“We are so much traumatized that we decided to take the law into our hands in a very inhuman way.”

Globally, moral leadership is considered as a central task of a President. He is expected to act as a father figure, a unifier, and to amplify the emotions of the country and provide consolation and direction.

Political analysts say often the head of state is expected to join in public grieving rituals, adding that such act of compassion usually increases support for the presidency in the eyes of the public.